Snider Mortgage Team

05/26/2026

The buyers who said they were waiting until rates drop may not be waiting much longer, and the data is making that very clear right now.

Pending home sales just posted their third straight month of gains. Signed contracts are up over 3 percent from last year and purchase applications are running 8 percent ahead of where they were a year ago. This is not just one busy weekend or one packed open house. It is a real and measurable shift in buyer activity that is building momentum across the market.

The wait-and-see crowd is starting to turn into the active buyer crowd and that matters for everyone. Sellers who wait too long could end up listing when more inventory hits the market and more competition arrives. Buyers who wait for perfect conditions may find themselves competing with a larger group of people who had exactly the same plan.

The people who do well in this market are almost always the ones who pay attention early, get prepared, and make smart moves before everyone else figures out what is happening. If you have someone sitting on the sidelines right now, this may be exactly the right time to start the conversation.

Reach out and let's talk through what this market shift means for your specific situation.

05/19/2026

Big news. Kevin Warsh was just confirmed as the new Federal Reserve chair and everyone is asking the same question: what does this mean for mortgage rates?

Here is the truth most people miss. The Fed actually controls short-term lending rates between banks. Mortgage rates are driven by the long-term bond market, inflation expectations, and investor sentiment. Those are completely different levers and a new Fed chair does not flip a switch that instantly moves your mortgage rate in either direction.

Rate decisions still go through a 12-member committee regardless of who is in the chair. And with inflation currently sitting at 3.8 percent, the Fed will likely stay patient through Warsh's first few meetings rather than making dramatic moves in either direction. The good news is that industry leaders are pointing to one word to describe the outlook under new leadership: stability. And stability is exactly what buyers need to confidently plan their next move.

If you want to know where mortgage rates are actually headed, stop watching Fed headlines and start watching the bond market. That is where the real story lives.
Follow me for more on what is actually moving the market right now.

05/13/2026

The Fed just held rates steady for the third time this year, and this was Jerome Powell's final meeting as chair. Here is what that actually means for your mortgage right now.

When the Fed holds rates steady it typically creates a window of stability, and that stability is genuinely a buyer's friend. It gives you time to shop, plan, and get prepared without the market shifting underneath you every single week. But here is what most people miss entirely. Mortgage rates do not move in lockstep with the Fed. They follow the 10-year Treasury yield and investor expectations about what comes next. That means rates can still drift lower even when the Fed holds steady, if the bond market believes cuts are coming later this year.

A new Fed chair often brings a fresh tone to the market as well. And with no June meeting on the calendar, we have a longer runway of predictable policy than we have had in a while.

If you are shopping right now, build a cushion of 0.250% to 0.500% into your numbers until you have a signed contract. That way you stay in control no matter which direction rates move. Buyers who get prepared during quiet periods like this one consistently tend to win when the market shifts.

Follow me and I will keep you ahead of the curve.

05/11/2026

I want to share something a little different this week. Less market data, more business strategy.

There is a stat I keep thinking about. NAR surveyed nearly 50,000 agents and found that while 68% have used AI in some form, only 17% say it has made a significant positive impact on their business. That gap says everything.

The agents winning with AI right now are using it for the time-consuming tasks that eat into their day. 68% are writing listing descriptions with it. 59% are creating social media content. 53% are drafting emails and newsletters. That is an hour or more back in your day, every single day, that you can redirect toward clients and conversations that actually move the needle.

But here is where it gets really interesting. PwC just released their Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2026 report and they are calling the next phase agentic AI. These are tools that plan and act with minimal prompting and run continuous processes around the clock. Not just helping you write things but actually doing things on your behalf while you sleep. This second wave is just starting to hit residential real estate and the agents who figure it out now will have a real edge over the ones who discover it two years from now.

The agents winning with AI are not the most tech-savvy people in the room. They are the ones who treat it like a junior assistant and put it to work consistently.

Follow along for more ways to grow your real estate business.

05/01/2026

Spring always gives sellers an edge.

But data shows there’s a short window when that advantage really peaks – and it’s usually the last two weeks of May.

While it can vary by market, that's when buyer demand is at its strongest and competition pushes prices higher.

In some cases, that timing alone can mean a seller makes tens of thousands of dollars more.

If you’re aiming to sell for top dollar, this is the moment to watch.

Want to see what it would take to get your house ready for it? Let’s talk.

Here to help! DM us for more information!

04/30/2026

Is Late May the Best Time To List Your House?

Zillow says the best time to list your house is just around the corner. Are you ready to make the most of it?

If you want to take advantage of this Spring sweet spot and get top dollar for your house, let’s talk about what you need to do now to get ready to hit the market.

Here to help! DM us for more information!

You may have heard April 12-18 was the “best week” to list your house.

04/30/2026

If you’re currently asking yourself: can I stay in this house long-term, or does it make more sense to move? Here’s what I'd tell you.

While aging in place can be a great option, over time it usually means making updates so your home continues to work for you.

Some of those changes are simple. Others can be more of an investment.

That’s why planning ahead matters if you think you want to go this route. It gives you the chance to spread out the work and the costs over time.

But it’s also okay if you don’t want to take that on.

If this has crossed your mind at all and you’re trying to decide what’s next, what projects to tackle, or what else is out there, let’s talk it through.

Here to help! DM us for more information!

04/29/2026

Stay or Sell? How To Make the Right Call as You Age

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here.

Some people stay and make updates. Others move to simplify things. Either can be the right choice. The goal isn’t to pick one today. It’s to understand your options early, so when the time comes, you feel confident instead of rushed.

And if you ever want a sounding board to think through what the future could look like for you, let’s connect.

Here to help! DM us for more information!

At some point, as you start thinking about the years ahead, this question tends to come up...

04/28/2026

Mortgage rates have been a little volatile lately. And if that’s made you hesitate, you’re not alone.

But here’s the part most people aren’t talking about:

Even now, rates are still lower than they were during the last 3 Spring seasons.

So, while things may feel a bit uncertain, the opportunity to buy hasn’t disappeared.

Want to talk through your options and check how the numbers could look at today’s rates? Let’s connect.

Here to help! DM us for more information!

04/28/2026

Online searches for down payment information recently hit an all-time high. That shows a lot of buyers aren’t sure what’s actually required, and they’re looking for answers.

Unfortunately, many still think they have to put 20% down.

But the data says something very different is happening.

The typical first-time buyer actually puts down about 10% – that’s half of what you probably expected. And some do as little as 3.5% or even 0% down (depending on their loan type).

So, that 20% myth is only holding you back and delaying your timeline more than necessary.

If you’re curious about what’s really required, it’s worth having a conversation with a trusted lender. A true expert can give you better information than an online search.

Then let's chat about what your budget can get you in today’s market.

Here to help! DM us for more information!